Reading Old Handwriting

This document is the registered probate copy
of the nuncupative will of Elizabeth Nicolai,
dated 21 July 1723.

Thanks to Twitter follower @FPLDGenealogy for passing this link on to me!

"UkNatArchives has an amazing paleography exercise area you need to see!"

Palaeography: reading old handwriting 1500 - 1800 

It is wonderful! There are lessons in reading 15th, 16th and 17th century handwriting as well as 10 interactive lessons. I'm still on Lesson One and enjoying the challenge.

If you have early English documents you will want to give this a try.

There is also an online tutorial for reading Latin, so if, like me, you've long forgotten most of your High School Latin, this might prove helpful. When I was researching my husband's Belgian ancestors, the records were found written in Dutch, Flemish, Latin, and French. I managed to decipher the standard words but it wasn't easy!